Pancakes with a View: This Cafe has a Great View of Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing

With the summer wrapping up, we now face the ‘vacation-mode’ hangover as we sluggishly attempt to go back to our everyday routines. As we all look back on the memories of the summer—whether you spent it on staycations or a trip around the country or across the globe—I know you already miss the freedom of sleep and relaxation.

Are you already planning out what you’re going to do or where you’ll be going for next year’s summer vacation? Outside of the country, one of the most popular places to go would be Japan. The possibilities on what to do there are endless! In Tokyo, one of the most popular spots for tourists is be the iconic Shibuya Crossing.

Featured in several movies, anime, manga, and other popular culture, it’s only natural to want to have a photo of the crossing. If you want to take a good photo without the stress of the crowd or time racing against you as you cross the street, here’s a tip.

If you’ve been there or if you’ve seen pictures, you’ll notice that the Starbucks across the street would always be crowded with businessmen or tourists trying to take a photo of the crossing. But there’s another location where not a lot of people go to or know about.

Just across the street in the Shibuya 109 Men’s building is Hoshino Coffee (星乃珈琲店). Not only is the Shibuya view here great, the place is also famous for their delicious pancake soufflés.

This is their original pancake soufflé priced at ¥530 (PHP 237) for single and ¥680 (PHP 304) for double pancakes. You get your choice of maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar syrup. They serve other varieties as well.

Strawberries were in season when I visited so they offered a special menu!

Not a fan of pancakes or not in the mood for it? They also serve other foods like sandwiches and french toast. They have an English menu available and the staff could understand and speak basic English (you can ask for their English menu by saying: “eigo no menu arimasu ka?”/ 英語のメニューありますか.)

The best part? If you dine in their Shibuya branch, not only would you get to eat delicious food – you’ll also get the view:

You get to watch in awe as people scramble from one end to another as they cross the busy streets of Shibuya. Say goodbye to long lines and stress! Why not kill two birds with one stone by having pancakes with a view?

If you want to skip the Shibuya crossing, but still want to eat pancake soufflés, Hoshino Coffee has several branches around Tokyo.

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Hoshino Coffee

Sophie is a 20-year-old Communication Arts student from Manila with an affinity for writing. If you love puns and terrible jokes, Yu'll most likely get along with her. Aside from contributing for When In Manila, she blogs at www.sophiaysabelledyu.wordpress.com. (But, hey, a picture is worth a thousand words - Instagram @philosophieyu.)

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